A quote:

By the time you're eighty years old you've learned everything. You only have to remember it.
-- George Burns

Reading, anyone!!

Just in case you feel like reading a bit this summer!
From the Dreams of Morpheus, by Steven Ford

Do you want to listen to the last listening test?

Watch and listen to the Cindy Crawford interview and check the things that you missed.



Read the questions here

Test calendar

March 15/2010

Writing Test
and
Listening & Oral Test Practice

March 17/2010

Reading and Listening Test

March 22/2010

Oral Test Storytelling

Boxes, Balls of wire and Brains: Tale of two brains

You might be the type of person who believes that men and women think differently, but, have you ever thought about the reason why? Mr. Mark Gungor explains his theory in this video.
Try to answer these questions:

What is the nothing box? What do men use that box for?

What annoys women the most?

What do women do to stress out?

How to get married

Have you been tempted by your best friend to be the Best man, the Maid of honour or Bridesmaid?
Are you hesitating because you don't know what would be expected from you?
Don't worry just follow these how-to videos and you'll become an expert in a short time.

For tips on preparing an inexpensive wedding listen here.

Kathryn Lloyd - Controlling your budget from The Dreamcatchers on Vimeo.

Unit 5: Would or Used to ...

Asked on how to use used to and would, you know that I don't like to get lost in grammar but skimming through the Collins Cobuild Grammar we can come up with the following conclusions on the use of these:

Use either used to or would, if we are talking about repeated events and actions in the past, normally things that happened a long time ago and are now finished.

When I was little I used to play with my dog Fido. = When I was little I would play with my dog Fido.
(Now I no longer play with my dog Fido!)
We used to go out a lot on Fridays.
(Now I'm getting old and this implies that we no longer go out much.)
Use used to, and do not use would, if you want to talk about a state in the past.

I used to be thin. (Now I'm not so thin)
I used to comb my hair. (Now I don't have much to comb)
I used to live in Madrid. (Now I live elsewhere)

You should use 'use to' without a d in sentences when it follows 'did' or 'didn't' (don't worry too much about this because you will hear it said differently a lot of times).

Did you use to…?
Use would when you are telling a story or retelling an event from long ago, specially to describe a repeated behaviour in the past, although both would and used to are possible.

The princess would wake up and after streching she would comb her long and precious hair.
Read an excellent discussion on BBC learningenglish

FIVE MINUTES OF ...

Men and women don't use the same language, (they say). Watch this funny video and find out what shaving has to do with hanging out.

Audiobooks.

How is your work going with the short stories?
Our colleague Cristina has found a nice Link to Audiobooks which you could read from the Project Gutenberg web too.
Hear the fairytale The Real Princess and find many more on Andersen FairyTales.

A short story by Kate Chopin

Mrs Sommers suddenly found herself with some money she didn't expect; What did she plan to spend that money on?

Continue with part Two and find out what she spent her money on in the end

FIVE MINUTES OF...

The Sneetches ...

Unit 4: Phrasal verbs

Do you need another look at phrasal verbs?
Look into this.

For a vast list (If you like them) read these.

Short stories and poems in Project Gutenberg

THE FOX & THE GRAPES


This Fox has a longing for grapes,
He jumps, but the bunch still escapes.
So he goes away sour;
And, 'tis said, to this hour
Declares that he's no taste for grapes.

THE GRAPES OF DISAPPOINTMENT ARE ALWAYS SOUR
...


Now if you want to listen to it click here

Looks interesting, right?
... You'll find plenty of short stories, poems and ebooks at the Project Gutenberg web

Continue reading the fables here.

Unit 4: Future perfect (Why not a perfect future?)

You will have finished your 4th course English before the summer, you will have been studying hard since September and you'll deserve, then, a relaxing holiday.

Read the following article that talks about holiday plans for 2010 in the UK,
Can you find out if there are people who plan to upgrade their hotel option because of the crisis?

FIVE MINUTES OF ...

Our new section in class is to watch short video clips, for those that after stretching their legs during the break want to be entertained with a tough challenge. (Better than standing in the rain and cold!) Watch this, it might give some ideas for your storytelling.

Sounds in English: Consonants

We have seen, heard and practised a bit with vowel sounds.
Consonants are much easier as we're about to hear. Click I'd love to hear more! for the complete chart.
If you think you don't need to review those sounds say the following out loud.
Jane/chain, these/this, pleasure/large, ass/as/ash, think/this

The Northern Frontier

Listen to the following video (Rough play) and answer ...
What are cracker shells?
What working distance does he allow the bears?
Why do they only allow adult males to come?

Extra: If you still want more listen to what is said about the photographer Norbert Rosing's (National Geographic) first encounter with the bears.
What does he mean when he says they thought it was curtains for the husky?

If I were ...

Listen to these two songs. Which one refers to unreal situations?

If I had a million dollars and If I were a boy

(Look for the lyrics in the sidebar)

After enjoying the music you can do these activities about the song If I had ....

Unit 3: Unreal conditionals (and all the others)

I have never been aware of the different type of conditionals until I had to teach them. You use conditionals when you want to talk about a situation that is possible and its consequences.

Conditional clauses are used if you talk about situations that exist in the present or that have existed in the past; the ones that might exist in the future; those that you don't know whether they exist or not and those that do not exist. If you ask me, I'd recommend the following explanation that distinguishes between real and unreal conditionals.

Money, money, money ...

For those who have missed the last classes you can listen (2 and 3) and do (2 and 3) some activities related with money. Listen to this while you work!!

Unit 3: Reported Speech

Retelling or reporting what others have said is something basic in normal communication. (It's the essence of gossiping!!) A statement is reported differently to a question or request, and commands are treated otherwise. Practice with these exercises if you need to.
(You can also read the following dicussion if you like Grammar.)

Pronounce technophobia correctly in English.

Pronunciation of technophobia - pronounce technophobia correctly in English.

Now that you've heard that one, try to pronounce these:
arachnophobia, homophobia, claustrophobia and triskaidekaphobia.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION?

TECHNOPHOBIA- IT MIGHT BE A STRANGE WAY TO START OFF THE YEAR, BUT THIS IS WHAT I FEEL EVERY TIME I OPEN MY COMPUTER.

2010 WILL BE THE YEAR WHEN I START TO LOVE TECHNOLOGY